Kathryn Mary Elwers

Madison -- Kathryn Mary Elwers, known to her family as Katie and to her colleagues and fellow volunteers as Kay, passed away at Attic Angel Place Health Center on Saturday, November 8, 2008. She was born on April 11, 1927, the fourth child of George E. Elwers and Mildred Knister Elwers. As Mildred passed away when Kathryn was three, she was raised by her father and step mother, Margaret Staffeld Elwers. She graduated from Neenah High School in 1945 and Lawrence College in 1949. At Lawrence she was a member of Pi Phi and Phi Beta Kappa. Thankful for the wonderful education she received at Lawrence, Kathryn established the Kathryn Elwers Fund in 1999. She received her M.A. from the University of Wisconsin -- Madison in 1950. Kathryn worked briefly in a bank in Milwaukee before being employed by the Milwaukee Public School System for eight years. After a European travel break and a short stint as an employee in a stock brokerage, she moved to Madison and worked until her retirement on April 11, 1986 as an Information Development Specialist for the Wisconsin Occupational Information System in the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations. Kathryn was honored with the first lifetime membership to the International Association of Personnel in Employment Security on May 16, 1986 for her dedication to the Wisconsin Chapter and editing its newspaper, the SCOOP, for many years. In her retirement she volunteered at the Badger Chapter of the Red Cross and served for many years on the board of the Women's Medical Foundation. Inspired by Dr. Elizabeth Karlin, Kathryn worked tirelessly for the pro choice cause as a member of Planned Parenthood and NARL as well as a pro choice picketer. Because of this commitment to the struggle for reproductive freedom, she was awarded the Janette James Award by NARL on February 25, 2002. As an avid Democrat and former polling place captain, she was happy to cast her final ballot for Barack Obama as president. For relaxation she bowled and traveled on many opera tours both in the United States and Europe. In addition she traveled to Africa where she developed an affinity for hippos and later became a collector of them. Kathryn is survived by her sister, Mona Bar Sela of Dallas, Texas; her sister-in-law, Nadine Elwers of LaMesa, California; and her cousin, Pat Carroll of Madison. She also is survived by five nieces and two nephews, as well as eight great nieces and nephews. Kathryn was preceded in death by her mother; father; step mother; brother, George F.; and sister, Elizabeth Moorhead. A memorial service for Kathryn will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, November 21, 2008 with refreshments to follow at ATTIC ANGEL PLACE which is located at 8301 Old Sauk Road in Middleton, Wisconsin. The Reverend Jim Engmann will lead the service. Kathryn's cousin would like to thank the compassionate staff of Attic Angel Place, Dr. David Sorber and Terri Patwell of Dean Clinic, and Dr. Mark Sager and Marie Hornes of the UW Memory Clinic for their care and kindness to her cousin and herself. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the resident aid fund of Attic Angel Place, Planned Parenthood, the Women's Medical Foundation, or the Alzheimer's Association of Wisconsin. Kathryn has generously donated her body to the University of Wisconsin Human Anatomy Department. After cremation she will rest with her father and step mother at the Greenlawn Memorial Park in Neenah, Wisconsin. Cress Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. Look for me in the people I have known and loved, and if you cannot live without me, then let me live on in your eyes, your mind, and your acts of kindness.